January blues aren’t a problem when all the fun garden catalogs begin arriving. What fun!! The days have been much too dry this winter, but the sun is wonderful. The low level of the lakes and str3eams remind us that we need the precipitation.
Perhaps it is because children love holidays, and from day care years we celebrate every holiday that comes along with enthusiasm! We make up a holiday if there isn’t one. This time of year, with all the Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas, and New Year’s holidays over, we need a holiday.
Valentine’s Day is coming, it is true. Three weeks from Friday, everyone can celebrate Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day can celebrate our romantic love, but all love deserves celebrating.
Love always deserves celebrating because it is what makes life worthwhile. It is love we first experience as all our needs are taken care of in a loving family. It is loving friendships that take us to our first experiences in the outside world and enlarge out circle of living. It is the neighborly love of our community of Happy Camp that encircles us in the center of this beautiful surroundings of forest, stream and blue skies above along the Klamath River. Our Klamath Neighbors are privileged to live, work and recreate in this home of outdoor beauty.
Our school children will, no doubt make red hearts to share with each other. Some high School students are planning a bake sale the day before at Parry’s Market. Our church messages will teach that we Love God because He first loved us, and we ought to Love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. The Golden Rule, to do to others as we want them to do to us is the heart of many persons value system.
Hope that you will give me a call and share what is going to be happening between now and then, Who is having a bake sale, where a special meal will be offered for the occasion, or other special things will be happening to celebrate love.

Yesterday we celebrated a little boy, Michael King born on Jan. 15, 1929, to the Rev. Michael King and Alberta Williams King gave a speech in 1963 that we still remember today. How many speeches by present day leaders are remembered, except for a few quotes. Those quotes repeated primarily to complain by half that keep them going. The only pastor that American honors with a day bearing his name as a national holiday.

When the Rev King went to a conference in German in 1934 he was inspired by the reformer, Martin Luther changed his name and the name of his son, to Martin Luther King. Young Martin followed in the footsteps of both his grandfather and father and served in at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Not long ago I was reminded of Martin Luther King Jr. stirring speech from 1963 when an English Class at Happy Camp High School Class looked at it in depth for a study of rhetoric.

“And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
“I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
“I have a dream today!
“I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
“I have a dream today!
“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”…
“And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
“Free at last! Free at last!
“Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

We go back to school January 6th. Half of the vacation time is over already and it sounds like students have been visiting friends and relatives and fishing and so far only one “boring” complaint…. that I’ve heard.

My sister, Nancy, has a birthday today so I get to call her up to catch up on what’s happening with her children, grandchildren and darling little great grandson. Happy Birthday to Jess Haun, our drama and English teacher at Happy Camp High School also. Belated birthday wishes to Megan Hague and Vickie Simmons also. It’s difficult to have a birthday at these very busy times of the year so wanted to remember them!

Next week will be another busy return to business.. Sunday, will be the Dear Mad’m meeting at 2 o’clock. The 4th annual Dear Mad’m event which honors Stella W. Patterson who wrote Dear Mad’m about moving to a mining cabin by the Klamath River when she was eighty years old, is a combination effort of the Klamath Writer’s Group and the Chamber of Commerce. This year’s event will be May 2-4th. The Writer’s have proposed a Writing contest for all you great storytellers to write your favorite story about Happy Camp! At Sunday’s meeting we will establish the guidelines and then we will be ready to let you know the details and the nice prizes that you may win for your entry into the contest!!

The old year, the year that has been with us for so long, is passing away. A new year, 2013, full of promise and potential is about to begin! What new challenges will the new year bring? What blessings are in store for us?

Tuesday, January 7th is the first meeting of the New year for the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce. We usually meet at six o’clock at the Chamber of Commerce office 35 Davis Road next to the post office. We will have a special speaker so please call the office 493-2900 if you don’t usually attend and would like to hear about grants available and help that Ore-Cal RC&D can offer to Happy Camp organizations, please let us know. We will have a the Director of the OreCal RC&D with us at that time and we remember how very helpful that they have been to our community in the past.,

Neighborhood Watch and Community Emergency Resource Team (CERT) meeting will be Wednesday, January 15th, so be sure that is on your brand new January calendar and plan to attend. By working together we can turn things around and eliminate the crime from our area. Thanks to those who have had the day long training by Deputy David Nye for patrolling and have been keeping an eye out for suspicious characters! Your help is needed to keep out Klamath River Neighborhood safe and crime free!\

Perhaps you’ve made it a New Years resolution to become more active in our community this year. There are a number of organizations that need volunteers to help make Happy Camp work. they’d welcome you with open arms!!

what a busy and fun week we have had in the snow in Happy Camp! And next week will be more activities as we close out the school year for 2013. Time has flown so fast, and this month is the busiest and most fun, even if it also has been the coldest and snowy as can be!!

Yesterday was the Holiday Fair “Second Act” at the Grange. Their “first” was on a Saturday a week before, but the snow kept people away and so they’ve given us another chance!! The Grange is one of those quiet organizations that has done so much good in Happy Camp for so many years. They continue to provide for all sorts of town meetings, and gatherings from weddings to funerals for Happy Campers. They’ve won national awards with their community service projects, at Happy Camp Cemetery and building the River Park as well as other things we too often take for granted.

Thank you to those that support them and the local crafters and vendors who had an amazing number of things for sale at the Holiday Fair. A donation or membership renewal of $30 would be a welcome way to keep them serving the community.

Did you know that Bigfoot has been sighted? Yes! It is true. It’s even on the flier from the Happy Camp Elementary School announcing their program TONIGHT. HCES presents Bigfoot Christmas! Rush down so you don’t miss this program at 6:30 pm at the high school. There will be hot bowls of soup by the eighth graders $5. They are always wonderful to behold from the little kindergarteners up! And the original play will be starring Bigfoot!! You won’t want to miss it and the students will give your spirits warmth and happiness. Everyone is invited!

Wednesday will be the Winter Concert with program by the high school students of Happy Camp High! I heard that there was singing in the halls of the high school last week and that it was good!! You won’t want to miss that on Wednesday. Before the program you can also enjoy a lasagna dinner for only $8 which will be greatly appreciated by the High School. There will also be a silent auction. You’ll want to see what is offered at the auction and help out the high school yearbook funds.

Then Saturday will be an old time Christmas Carol Sing a Long at Parry’s Market from 5 pm to 6 pm. If you enjoy singing the songs of the season, singing with friends, join the caroling and then join Happy Camp Christian Fellowship at the Happy Camp Elementary School for free beverages, snacks and “The Nativity” movie. If you want further information, give Kirk Eadie a call at 493-2801 or 598-1549,
Friday is the last day of school until we return to the regular scheduled education on January 6, 2014. The Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce will start the New Year with their monthly meeting January 7th. Neighborhood Watch and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) meet on January 8th so your new calendar will have something on it to look forward to—especially that week!! As your organizations plan events and activities for the new year, please share them if you wish me to include them in the news to all our Klamath River Neighbors!! Thanks so much!!

A big thank you to all who helped with the Community Tree Lighting in the snow storm a week ago Friday evening, Thanks to Dan Bushy and Dennis Day who worked all day to get the tree ready for the evening, and all the shoveling and snowy drifts that involved. Even though the tree wasn’t flocked, it became so, naturally by evening!! Thanks to the ladies at the Scott Valley Bank that popped lots of popcorn, Parry’s who provided bags to hand out and Dolly Elston who heated up the warm cider Klamath River Resort Inn donated. The snacks kept the singers warm. Thanks to all those who would have brought musical instruments if they’d not had to keep them out of the snow, especially Kirk Eadie. Siskiyou Daily News shared songs of the seasons for the event! A special thanks to all those who sang their hearts out without accompaniment! That was such fun!! Thanks to Bill Estes and Santa who planned to come and were willing to, despite the snow!!

Thanks to all who supported the Chamber Rifle Raffle also! Congratulations to Mike Gomes who won the rifle from Don’s Sporting Goods.

Since this is the time of the year when giving, and gifts are uppermost in our mind, thanks to all those who supported Friday’s Bake Sale to benefit Chris, Tara and little Taylor and the baby on the way. Marble Mountain also has a Gift Basket Raffle for the proceeds to help the Ware family with health needs when there are health needs. Thanks to all who contribute. Happy Camp is always so generous when these traumatic needs come to the lives of our Klamath neighbors, and this is no exception. There is still time to contribute at Marble Mountain Gift Co. Thanks to all who give and we hope it will be a blessing in their lives.

Of men of God, we can be proud,
who follow not the earthly crowd.
But hold Christ high and strive for right,
forever to show a witness bright!
Men who shared their Lord in all:
Men who heed the Master’s call.
Men who seek not a reward,
but only strive to please the Lord.

Knowing that a a careless word may kindle strife
A cruel word may wreck a life.
A bitter word may hate instill.
A brutal word might kill.
A gracious word may smooth the way.
A joyous word may light the day.
A timeless word may lessen strife
A loving word may heal and bless.